... there is a new group coming onto the jazz scene... fans of e.s.t. and the bad plus are going to enjoy this trio from portland oregon. they are called upper left trio and their new release, out january 17th, is entitled 'sell your soul side'... our pick of the week on radioioJAZZ...

... the upper left trio consists of clay giberson (piano); jeff leonard (basses); and charlie doggett (drums). this cd is the follow up to their 2003 release 'cycling' which served as their debut effort...

... if you have read my column over the years, you know that i shy away from comparing one artist with another... it tends to establish pre conditioned assumptions for listeners. but for this album, i will break my own rule. upper left seems to be influenced by many modern artists and contemporary musicians...

...similar to e.s.t., upper left's music is generally laden with melodic beauty supported by a strong rhythmic foundation. upper left takes less time to develop an idea, moving between musical thoughts and ideas in a manner which enhances listener focus. overall, upper left seems a bit warmer than the bad plus, but then i heard the track 'heads or tails'... maybe not... the music is fresh and simply stated. being a fan of both e.s.t and the plus, i enjoyed unpacking each tune of 'sell your soul side'...

... upper left at times uses a phase shift effect on drums ... the addition of effects on amplified instruments seems to be a trend of many contemporary jazz trios... for example... e.s.t's performance last week presented distortion on piano, bass, and even drums... heavy delay also... i am personally not a fan of the effects and tend to listen around them...

...now for the good part! ... to hear the agility of giberson on piano and the connection between he and jeff leonard (bass), start with the track 'not to decide' or 'she casts no shadow'... to understand the depth of musicianship between these players, i suggest the track 'prayer' or 'this is where i find peace'... if you want to hear these guys bop around a bit, it is 'reason to change'... such incredible diversity!...

... the title track 'sell your soul side' and 'comrade camenzind' are my choice picks on this album...

... my prediction for the upper left trio is major success. i am still hearing new stuff each time i hear any of these tracks. i 'get' this music and you should too! you will want to purchase your own copy of this album for your personal library...